Here's what I am going through with a local dealer here in Fresno regarding a warranty repair for what has been a slow dying lift pump. I've been suffering an on off sputtering engine with a check engine lite that comes on, then goes off. When the check ending lite was on, I could tell that something was wrong - in that I could not hear the familiar lift pump motor prior to starting. The local dealer, when I called about the problem - would state "if there's no fault and your vehical is operating as expected, then there's nothing they would do". I would then call Diemler Crysler, and log the problem with them to be sure I had a record of the problem. Well, the lift pump finally went out completely with me thinking I have 35K miles left on my warranty. The dealer comes back telling me this is out of warranty - lift pump and vp44 need to be replaced for an out of pocket cost to $4,284.00 .. When I asked if there's anything I can do to appeal, the dealer referred me to Diemler Crysler. On making my appeal the parent company was willing to authorize the warrantly repair. I thought I was over the hurdle. When the parent company called the local dealer, the service manager got on the phone, and told them there's no maintenance history with their dealership. So, because no history of maint with them, they now don't want to do the warranty repair - go figure huhhhhhh? The parent company then escalated it to their business office - whom a district manager then called the local service manager who somehow convinced the district manager to deny the warranty repair. Hmmmmmmmm - thus the parent company rep. on the phone suggested I contact another dealership. I did, and the service manager tried to get the decision reversed with the district manager and couldn't... So, I'm outta luck with getting what should have been a warranty repair completed. I should state, that I have kept very good car of my truck - have maintenance records with various lube and tune shops. The local dealer's service manager stating this problem to be a fuel filter is a sham... BTW, I've been replacing the fuel filter as part of the regular maintenance - just not with the local dealer performing the work.
Now I'm looking at about $1800-$2000 job from a referred Diesel service center here in the local Fresno, CA area. I've asked - the vp44 comes with a 1 year warranty, and they install a check fuel flow (idiot lite) in the dash and a pressure guage in the engine compartment - to make sure the vp44 gets 5psi under load.
What a rip off - this should have been a warranty repair - especially in that Diemler Crysler was willing to authorize.

 

Do not quit hassling them. It is under $5K so you can take them to small claims court. Why not? you have nothing to lose.

 

It's either in warranty.....or out of warranty. Your in service date and mileage will tell that.

 

Apologies in advance to J Body - but the way a LOT of dealers conduct their business is PITIFUL. While I agree its not fair to add performance enhancements and then expect warranty - more often that not dealers wont warranty STOCK trucks that are still under warranty. The DC Corporation REALLY needs to get their dealers on the same page and to have some consistency when it comes to customer service and satisfaction.

 

What I dont get is why would a SM go out of his way to not do the warranty with the approval from DC ..... just does not make sense.

 

Over here at least the warranty work does not pay nearly as much as the work for a customer.
Some shops have the policy to do the warranty work as a last resort if there's nothing else to do only.
Is there another dealership that is not part of the same chain that you can contact? Maybe they like the DC warranty $$ better than the first dealership you have contacted.

AlpineRAM

 

That is terrible. My dealer has been very good. I wish they were all that way. It would be good to know that dealer's name so future buyers would know that there is a chance their warranty won't be honered. If this were me I would scream bloody murder. You might try the local news media, some areas have community interest reporters that might run a story like this. I'd at least try small claims court if you have any records proving maintainance at all. Don't give up and let those guys get away with it without a fight.

 

Are you the original owner? When my LP died for the second time, I took it to the dealer to have it repaired and much to my surprise the SM would not warranty it. I called DC talked to a nice lady who after I gave her my SS# she had a complete history of everything ever done to my truck under warranty and then told me when my truck entered service, said it would be covered. I then told her what the SM said so she called him with a three way call with me told the SM to fix my truck. It was fixed and mileage at the time was 99,600 mi.





2002 2500 Q/C SB 4X4 Atlantic Blue

 

Better Business Bureau complaint, rattle some cages.

 

gentlemen, thanks for the replies. About going to another dealer - yes, I did contact another dealer in the next town (Madera, CA). Hindsight, had I gone with the later dealer, I believe the repair would have been covered under warranty without a complaint about "not bringing the vehicle to the dealer for routine maintence stance". In that, the service manager at the dealer in Madera had to try and overturn a district manager's decision - the same district manager who made the decision based on the dealer where I was denied the warranty service. Daimler Crysler even told me on the phone they've had problem with the Fresno, CA dealer. However, since that is where I purchase the vehicle from in the first place, and the towing distance the closest to me - just stood good reason that I "would" have been treated more fairly.
Check this out - the first dealer's quote on out of warranty repair for RR lift and vp44 pumps was $4284.00.. The second dealer worked up a quote for the same work at $2800.00 - big differece.
In the end, I'm taking it to a referred diesel parts and service center that will do the entire job, including pressure guage for $1800.00.. out the door. Still, this is a huge chunk of money for me - especially considering this should have been a warranty repair.
I will be filing a report in this incident to local and BBB..

 

Dodgerdog what year truck do you have? How many miles? when was it first sold?

 

my favorite thing to do .. is call the b.a.r. (Bureau of Automotive Repair)
http://www.smogcheck.ca.gov/StdHome.asp
they have to investigate.. and ive seen them in action.. and man do repair shops hate it. yay tax dollars at work.

 

My Dodge Ram 2500 truck is a 2001 - purchased AUG 2000 with current odometer of 65462 miles. I just filed a complaint with BBB - ridiculas that the dealer overturned an auth for warranty repair based in no maint history with them. My truck been very well maintained - just not with the dealer. The other obsurdity is the difference in out of pocket cost for the RR of lift and vp44 - from one dealer to the next.

man i'm bummed...

 

Do you think they are denying the warranty because your 5 years were up last august?

 

That's what I was getting at......if you remember back in 2000 there was an issue with DC and meeting their c.a.f.e. rating. The model year 01 came out extremely early (loophole). That was about the time the PT cruiser came along (catagorized in the truck line) and that brought the average back up. This early date messed quite a few people up on warranty coverage. We saw our fair share of strangers with 2 page laundry lists come in only to turn around and leave once they learned of there in service date had long passed and there would be out of pocket expenses. Once you are out of warranty your only roll of the dice would have been for the SM to self authorize the repair (yes, good repeat customers get preferance in this department), or DC itself approve it. True you were under by miles, but the time is what got you. It would be interesting to see what codes were noted (should be on your reciept) and the dates and miles. Often if you have a decent paper trail it will help on beyond warranty authorizations.